English teacher Vallet Tucker teaches 10th grade honors students. She says she's not surprised that more than half the students who took Florida's college placement exam in the 2010-2011 school year failed at least one subject.
Shakira Lockett was a pretty good student in elementary, middle and high school. The Miami-Dade County native says she typically earned As and Bs in English classes.
Math was always something of a struggle for Lockett. Still, she got through her high school exit exam with a passing grade and went on to graduate from Coral Gables Senior High School in 2008.
She went straight to Miami Dade College. Then, something unexpected happened: She flunked the college placement exams in all three subjects – reading, writing and math.
Credit Sagette Van Embden / Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
Shakira Lockett says in high school she typically earned As and Bs in her English classes. But at Miami Dade College, she had to take remedial courses in math, reading and writing.
The series on remedial education exposed what some in the public school system at the secondary and college level already knew: that many students are graduating from high school unprepared for college.
Most students who receive Bright Futures scholarships would have to stay in Florida after graduation or pay back the money under a law proposed in Tallahassee. If approved, he law would take effect with the 2014-15 school year. The bill was filed by Republican Representative Jimmie Smith.
Remedial courses cost students and schools money. And the need for remedial courses makes it less likely students complete their studies -- and likely boost their earnings.
Indiana Superintendent Tony Bennett will be Florida's next education commissioner. The Florida Board of Education unanimously selected Bennett, a protege of former Gov. Jeb Bush. As Indiana's chief, Tony Bennett imported Florida education ideas to the Hoosier state. Board of education members cite Bennett's familiarity with new Common Core standards as Florida transforms how schools teach and test students. Bennett says he wants Florida to remain a national education reform leader. "I think we have a great opportunity to capture Florida's moment," Bennett says.
Florida has chosen a follower of Jeb Bush education theory from Indiana to be its next education commissioner.
Tony Bennett is serving out his term as Indiana's superintendent of public instruction after a re-election defeat. In Florida, he'll replace Gerard Robinson, who resigned months ago after only a year in office.
Indiana's ousted education chief says he's applied for the Sunshine State's top schools job.
Tony Bennett lost his bid for reelection last month.
Bennett says he first met Jeb Bush after winning election as the Indiana's Superintendent of Public Instruction four years ago.
Since then, Bennett has taken education policies Bush first in Florida tried and brought them to Indiana. Those ideas are often called "The Florida Model."
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has been riding a wave of popularity in the last few years. Members of the Republican Party have been clamoring for him to seek higher office as he travels around the country taking on some of the more extreme positions recently taken by members of his party.
Among his credentials, which are currently prompting all the focus, is his popularity with the Latino community and his credentials as a successful education policy innovator.
Gov. Rick Scott issued a challenge to colleges all over the state asking them to find a way to offer a bachelor's degree program that costs no more than $10,000 for all four years.
